Bio:
I was raised in Oregon and took art classes in high school. I worked as a fabric artist while attending college; exhibited and sold domestically. In college, I studied Urban Geography and obtained an MBA. From 1974-2012, I worked in urban planning (Portland, Or) and then in health care management, both domestically (Oregon, Idaho, California and Washington) and have lived and worked internationally (Romania, Afghanistan, Philippines, Laos and Bhutan). I have owned a home and lived in Olympia, WA on Zangle Cove since 1990, when not working or traveling overseas.
In 2006, I took a watercolor workshop at the North Cascades Institute as a short retreat from working. But I only started painting more frequently in 2013 after taking early retirement. I primarily work in watercolor and acrylics; I have also experimented with monotype. Recently I returned to using fabric in my pieces. I try to capture the light, color, shape, and mood of the landscape, but also enjoy the layering and mystery of abstracts.
Artist Statement:
The piece in this exhibition was unfortunately inspired by the tragedy of the Rogue Valley, Oregon fires in the summer of 2020. Much of the valley where I grew up and many of my family and friends have lived was destroyed. I created “Aftermath” after taking a virtual video-drone tour of the massive destruction. Looking for pieces of materials to salvage--- and hope. I have contributed to several organizations that are working to help restore the families and the landscape of that area. Proceeds from the sale of this painting will be used to continue that effort.
My work has been accepted into juried shows since 2015 with the Olympia Art League, Northwest Watercolor Society, Healdsburg Center for the Arts, the Emerald Art Center, the Leonor Fuller Gallery and the Magnuson Park Gallery.